Does anyone know how young dragons can be and still brumate? We have a 4-5 month old beardie, Mushu, and he has all the symptoms of brumation but seems much too young to actually be doing it. He has stopped basking almost entirely and usually just sits in the corner of his cage, staring during the daytime and sleeping at night. During the day, it's like he's in a trance. He stopped eating veggies last week, entirely. He continued to eat Reptiworms when offered, but seemed much less interested in them, and in the last day he hasn't eaten those, either. He even refused live crickets, which is his favorite treat (he only gets them once a week or so). He hasn't pooped since the day before yesterday, and I don't think we could possibly be more worried.
Since we got him in October 2010, he's grown from about 4 inches to 12 inches, and he now weighs 71 grams.
Today, I called around town to find a vet that deals with beardies, and took him in for an appointment, just to make sure he isn't sick. I got the feeling, however, that the doctor knew less about bearded dragons than I do (and I don't know much--this is our first one). So, I paid $40 for the vet to tell me that he looks generally healthy and doesn't seem too dehydrated. She said she didn't see any point in doing a fecal exam, and then asked me if his cage was sufficiently humid. Seriously? Not worth the time or money, and I don't know any more now than I did before. She also hadn't really heard of brumation, btw, and couldn't help me with any advice about what to do if that *is* what's going on with Mushu.
If anyone here could weigh in and put my mind at ease, I'd be eternally grateful (and so would Mushu!). Is it possible for dragons to brumate at four months old? If it is brumation, what do we do now? Is it necessary to start reducing light cycles and withholding food? Or, can we stay on the same schedule? I've read many sites online, and each one seems to have different advice--everything from just maintaining the status quo to moving the dragon to a shoebox and putting it in the closet with bi-weekly check-ins.
(On the upside, I now know that Mushu's beard works. When I picked him up to take him to the vet this afternoon, he was basically asleep (I think) and he flipped out when he woke up halfway to the traveling box. Flattened out like a pancake and blew up his beard like a balloon. Not happy with me. Never seen him cop an attitude at all in the past--he's such a docile little guy)